Adjustable stop for car-doors.



H. J. CLEVENGER.

ADJUSTABLESTOP FOR CAR DOORS.

APPLICATION .FILED MAR. I, 1915.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

avwmdov HJCLEVENGER are HARLEY J. CLEVENGER, DORRANGE, KANSAS.

ADJUSTABLE error non 'oAR-Doons.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7,

Application filed March 1, 1915. Serial No. 11,304.

To all whom it may concern Be it known'that I, HARLEY J. CLEVEN- GER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dorrance, inthe county of Russell and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Stops for Car-Doors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in attachments for car doors and more particularly to what will be known as a movable bracket for freight car doors,'the main object of the present invention being the provision of a movable bracket whereby the lower side of the car door can be forced inwardly to a closed position after the car has been filled and when it is desired to unload the car, these brackets can be readily adjusted to loosen the door when it is desired to open the same.

It is a well known fact that where grain cars are heavily loaded, the sides of the car become bulged out so that it is not an easy matter to open or close the door and, in order to provide means whereby the slidin g and swinging type of door may be readily opened and closed, it is necessary to have adjustable brackets whereby the bottom of the door may be moved laterally before an attempt is made to open and close the same and to this end it will be noted that I have provided adjustable brackets whereby the door may be moved laterally when it is desired to open and close the same should the car be filled to such an extent that'the sides thereof have become bulged.

Another object of the present invention is the provision ofa device of the above character which will possess advantages in points of efiiciency and durability, is inexpensive to manufacture and, at the same time, is simple in construction and operation 1 With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a freight car door illustrating my improved adjustable bracket attached thereto; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2, of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 indicates the body of a freight car, and 2 the door opening therein which is adapted to be normally closedby means of a door 8; The upper end ofthe door may be movably supported in any well known manner but, as shown in the accompanying drawings, therod 4 extends from one end of the car to the opposite side of the door opening and engaged therewith are the loops 5 which support the door.

Secured to the under side of the floor of the car, are the U-shaped supporting members 6, the ends of which are bent outwardly at right angles, as shown at 7 and rigidly secured to the bottom of the car, so thatthe intermediate portion of each of the supporting members is suspended beneath thebottom of the car. The side walls of these supporting members are provided with alined threaded openings 8, thepurpose of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Extending downwardly from the body of the car, from opposite sides thereof, are the truss-bars 9 and secured to the outer faces thereof, are the plates 10 having suitable openings 11 formed therein which are arranged in alinenient with the openings 8 in the supporting members 6. The truss bars 9 are provided with elongated openings 12 and movable therein are the plates 13 the inner ends of which are bent outwardly, as shown at 14: and provided with an opening which is alined with the openings 8 and 11. The outerends of the plates 13 are bent upon themselves toform oppositely extending tongues 15 and 16, the tongue 15 upon each of the plates 13 being provided with an opening arranged in alinement with the openings in the members heretofore described- Adjusting bolts'16- are provided and are passedthroughthe openings in the tongues 15, thence through the openings 11 and through the opening in the extended end 141- of the plate 13 and then threaded through the openings 8 in the walls of the supporting members 6. The adjusting bolt 16 is provided at the point where it extends through the opening in the outwardly projecting end 14, with a smooth portion 17, whereby the, adjusting bolt will readily rotate within this opening. The bolts 16' are further provided at a point adjacent their outer ends, against the inner face of the tongues 15 so with collars 18 which bear as to actuate the plate 13 upon the adjust ment of the bolts within the elongated openings 12. e

In order to rotate the bolts 16, I provide suitable heads 18 for the application of a wrench 'thereto. Thus it will be seen that upon rotation of the bolts 16, the plates 13 will be adjusted longitudinally within the openings 12, so that the tongues 16 may be adjusted toward or away from the lower edge of the door 3. A collar17 is mounted upon eachof the bolts 16 at the end of the smooth portion 17 and is adapted to bear away from the doorand permit of lateral swinging movement of the same. In the general construction of doors at the present time, it is almost impossible to readily open them, when the car is filled to a certain extent. Thus, after the door has been closed, these bolts 16 may be adjusted to force the tongues 16 againstthe door and push the door inwardly against the contents, so that a the door may be tightly closed. It will be apparent from the foregoing that my device is extremely simple in construction and operation and can be easily applied to any well known make of freight car in use at the present time. It'will also be apparent that the device can be easily operated and, at the Sametime placed upon themarket at a comparatively low cost.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it will be obvious that various changes in the details of construction and in the proportions may be resorted to for successfully carrying my invention into practice, without sacrificing anyof the novel features or departing from the. scope of the invention,- as defined by the appendedclaims.- r vHaving thus described this invention,

. what I desire to claim as new and secure by Letters Patent, is

V 1. The combination with a car having a Gopies of this patent may be obtained for door opening, a door therefor, and a sill extending longitudinally beneath the door opening, of a shoe slidably mounted in the sill for transverse movement relative to the car and having an upwardly extending portion at its outer end adapted to engage the lower margin of the door, a screw engaging with said shoe but rotatable with relation thereto and passing through the sill and having sliding engagement therewith and a bracket depending fromthe car floor with which said screw has screw threaded engagement.

2. The combination with a car having a door opening, a sill extending longitudinally beneath the door opening, and a door for the opening, said sill being slotted, of a shoe extending through the slot of the sill and transversely to the car, the forward and rear ends of the shoe being formed with depending portions and the forward end of the shoe having an upwardly extending portion adapted to engage the lower marginof the car door, a bolt passing loosely through the sill and having rotative engagement with the shoe, the shoe being held from longitudinal movement relative to the bolt, and a member depending from the car floor with which said bolt has screw threaded engagement.

3. The combination with a car having a door opening, of a sill extending longitudinally beneath the door opening, and a door, the sill being transversely slotted, of a shoe slidable through the slot in the sill, the shoe at its rear end having a depending portion and at its forward portion being upwardly bent to engage over the lower margin of the door and then downwardly bent, a bolt passing through the sill and having sliding engagement therewith, said bolt passing through the depending portions of the shoe and having stops engaging therewith for unitary longitudinal movement of the shoe and bolt, and a bracket mounted upon the car fioor through which said car passes and with which it has screw threaded engagement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARLEY J. CLEVENGER.

Witnesses:

T. L. MUNAY, GEO. L. VHITE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, .D. G. 

